Why One Exorcist Movie's Cliffhanger Ending Is Even More Disappointing Now

Following the financial success of his Halloween reboot trilogy, director David Gordon Green had his eyes set on revitalizing the Exorcist franchise. Universal Pictures was all in on the filmmaker's vision for the spooky property, paying $400 million for the rights to three films. Green finally unveiled his legacy sequel-slash-reboot to the world with 2023's "The Exorcist: Believer." Despite ending on a major cliffhanger, the movie won't be getting a sequel. Instead, the studio is going in a different direction, roping in horror maverick Mike Flanagan for a brand new take on the franchise. 

Flanagan, the steward behind films like "Doctor Sleep" and "Hush," is an apt creative to bring new life to The Exorcist. The filmmaker has never shied away taking on faith-oriented projects, with his miniseries "Midnight Mass" emerging as a great meditation on the subject. While it's exciting that the franchise is in capable hands, it's disappointing that the cliffhanger from "The Exorcist: Believer" won't be resolved.

While the ending of "The Exorcist: Believer" is complicated, the picture concludes with Katherine's (Olivia O'Neill) soul being taken to hell, with Angela (Lidya Jewett) emerging as the only survivor. While plot details for the "Believer" sequels are slim, it's clear that the intention would be to save Katherine's soul and bring her back from the clutches of the demons. With Flanagan now at the helm, audiences will see a brand-new story — which could be a good thing. 

Upon release, "The Exorcist: Believer" received negative reviews from critics and fans. Looper critic Alistair Ryder described "Believer" as a "sour sequel" in a 5 out of 10 review, echoing the sentiments of many others. Poor reviews and audience feedback led to a worldwide gross of just $136 million, a far cry from the $400 million investment that Universal put into the rebooted trilogy. With "Believer" proving to be a misfire, director David Gordon Green stepped away from the franchise in January 2024. The sequel, which was titled "The Exorcist: Deceiver," was set to grace multiplexes in 2025. 

Details are slim on what Mike Flanagan's new Exorcist film will look like. He has an impressive track record as a horror maestro, making his appointment as the franchise's new lead exciting. "'The Exorcist' is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it is an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold and terrifying within its universe," Flanagan said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). 

The first "Exorcist" emerged as a critical and commercial juggernaut, standing out as one of the scariest films ever made. Efforts to franchise the standalone film have mostly been poor, with arguably the only notable entries being "The Exorcist III" and the fan-favorite "Exorcist" TV show. After "Believer," faith in the franchise is at an all-time low, but Flanagan continues to be a major star in the horror world. Hopefully, he can resolve some of the unanswered questions from "The Exorcist" and make us believe in the franchise again.